Amber warning for northern Scotland

The Transport Minister Derek Mackay has asked people to plan their journeys and prepare for possible disruption to utilities over the next few days ahead of storm Abigail.

Transport Minister Derek Mackay said:

"The Scottish Government's Resilience team (SGoRR) have been in contact with the Met Office throughout the week, receiving regular updates on the developing weather system and its potential impacts.

"The Met Office is warning that storm Abigail is expected to bring strong winds to much of Scotland tomorrow night and across the peak travel period on Friday morning. This now includes an Amber Warning for Wind for the Western Isles, Orkney Islands and some areas in northern Scotland. A Yellow Warning for Wind has been extended southwards to include much of the Central Belt, including all the main bridges.

"We know from past experience that winds of this severity can disrupt travel, leading to cancelled ferries and restrictions, or even temporary closures, on bridges. The gale force winds will also make conditions particularly difficult for high-sided vehicles and hauliers should be planning ahead now. Key utilities like power and telecoms can also be impacted by the kinds of conditions forecast and people should try to ensure that they are prepared for possible disruption – this includes checking on the elderly and vulnerable.

"Key responder organisations across Scotland, including councils, utilities and blue light services, are well used to dealing with severe weather events like those forecast for Thursday, and those in the areas likely to be affected have put in place the necessary planning and response arrangements to deal with any impacts as quickly and effectively as possible.

"Before heading out, I would urge people to consider the conditions. They should listen to radio reports, visit the Traffic Scotland website or twitter feed and take note of the latest police advice.

"Ferry, bus and rail passengers should visit their operators websites and social media feeds for the very latest information."

Notes to editors

For real time journey information visit www.trafficscotland.org , follow @trafficscotland on Twitter or call 0800 028 14 14. Rail, ferries and air users should check with individual service operators' websites.